Tag Archives: Environment

So….I’m sure you have heard of this new Netflix documentary entitled “What The Health”. If you haven’t yet, go watch it.

What The Health is a compelling account of how we need to pay far better attention to what we eat, where our food is sourced, how the vast majority of food manufacturers show a general lack of concern for public health, the negative implications of the “American Diet”, etc.

Knowing that I’m a wellness enthusiast, a few friends recently asked me if I have seen What The Health, as they found it rather revelatory and were profoundly impacted by its message. While I was thrilled to hear that my friends intend to make some positive changes in their diet as a result of seeing the film, something far deeper occurred to me when I heard this. My first knee-jerk thought was….haven’t you already seen Food Inc, Forks Over Knives, and all of those other documentaries with an identical message?? My second thought was – SHIT – have you never read my blog?!

Half joking aside, this same exact “food revolution” type of content has been presented to us over the years time and time again. Yes, admittedly the information is always one-sided and very dramatic (by design), but it all centers around a profoundly true message. The message is very clear and easy to understand. If we all collectively adopt more of a plant-based diet, we will improve our health, the health of animals and the health of our planet. There is absolutely no way to scientifically dispute this fact.
While I certainly appreciate What The Health and other films which promote this altruistic message — and it IS entirely altruistic, as the producers of the films stand to gain ZERO if you adopted a vegan diet — I truly wonder when this message will finally “catch on”. I wonder if it will happen in my lifetime. I wonder if it will ever happen at all….

I believe the only way this message has the potential to catch on is if/when someone with SERIOUS INFLUENCE makes it a priority to educate the masses, tell everyone that we are all moving in a very dangerous direction and we desperately need to course correct. And I’m not talking about some hippie MD that no one knows….I’m talking about someone that everyone knows, trusts, likes and respects. The deterrent is that any major progress in this area unravel the entire animal agriculture industry. The ramifications on our nation’s economy could be fairly widespread — some negative (meat and dairy industries) and some positive (out-of-control healthcare spending spiral). I’m guessing the uncertainty of it all is why we don’t see more of a concerted effort in this manner being served up by any of our public leadership? Perhaps with a healthy side dish of apathy? Not to mention threatening the “free will” that Americans so cherish so deeply. Because if someone wants a cheeseburger, they should be able to snap their fingers and get a cheeseburger….right?? UGH.

Americans may not realize this, but we have had some “close calls” over the years when it comes to the concept of national dietary overhaul. Bill Clinton effectively REVERSED his heart disease by adopting a plant-based diet. I wish that Bill and the Clinton Foundation was more involved in promoting his incredible story of transformation to the masses but, since there really isn’t any money to be made in it, nothing much has become of it. And Michelle Obama tried to fight childhood obesity more recently through her “Let’s Move” program, but this was just barely scratching the surface of the issue and didn’t have sharp teeth. So while there has been some activity around this subject, no one of any relevance has made this their UNWAVERING CAUSE and changed our collective mindset on food. I think we may need an upheaval to initiate a total overhaul in how we eat and it must come soon. I believe that the issue of public health is AT LEAST on par with the climate change issue and, like climate change, I’m afraid we may potentially be past the point of return. We are too divided on the topic, it is too controversial and the damage is done. I sincerely hope I am wrong. I hope I will see this change in my lifetime. Our health depends on it.

As I stand here, about to face my imminent demise, I would like to reflect upon my short life on earth. I was taken away from my mother shortly after I was born and never saw her again. I will never know who my birth father is. I am only 5 years young….but I am tired, weak and ready to die. Continue reading →

I often wonder if chronic illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, are man-made. I know this is a bold thought, but it’s really hard for me to believe that we were created with the intention to suffer from disease. Unfortunately, there is no way we will ever know the answer to this notion, as it is beyond the scope of recorded medical history. At minimum, I believe there is enough current scientific evidence to suggest that the prevalence and increasing rate of chronic illness is attributable to mankind….that is, lifestyle and environmental conditions. Continue reading →

In my opinion, there is a lot more to healthy eating than simple calorie counting. I believe that food source is equally important to our overall well-being. For example, I purposely avoid animal-based foods that come from a factory farm. Apart from finding the practices of factory farming objectionable, I feel that they compromise our health, the health of animals and the health of our environment.

Similarly, I make a concerted effort to purchase organic fruits and vegetables, wherever possible. My family and I frequent our local farmers market to buy organic locally grown produce. However, this can be a rather costly venture. For this reason, I have decided to take “local” to the next level in 2013 and create our own backyard farm!

Following are some chronological photos of my D.I.Y. veggie garden “project” this spring season, including some bumps along the way!! Continue reading →

Every time I watch a video documentary on factory farming, it takes me hours (sometimes days) to forget the images of cruelty I witness. The lack of empathy for animals is simply traumatic. After all, animals live, breathe, think and feel just as we humans do. Hugging my dog can mend the wound, but it does not remove the scar. It begs the question….why watch these videos in the first place? Am I just torturing myself? I suppose it would be much easier to ignore these videos altogether and pretend that factory farming does not exist. But is that a worthy solution? In a way, it reminds me of the Edmund Burke quote: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” For that reason alone, I think it’s more important to be aware and informed, rather than comfortably burying my head in the proverbial sand. Continue reading →

While I am far from a textbook vegan, I have a lot of respect for the content of this article. And the over-arching theme here holds very true, no matter what modification you intend to make. Diets do not work. Lifestyle changes do. If you want to create lasting change, it must emanate from your core.

Veganism is everywhere. It’s all over the news, grocery store aisles — even your friends and family are talking about it. Whether people choose a plant-based diet to save animals, manage cholesterol, get in shape, save the environment, or just to know what they’re putting in their body, the word “vegan” is making the shift from marginal to mainstream. But the one thing no one talks about is the #1 reason many vegan diets ultimately fail. To find out whether you’re heading for a cliff, you’ll need to ask yourself a simple question, the answer to which can spell victory or defeat in your quest to go vegan.

First, you need to understand that veganism isn’t a diet — it is a lifestyle. A diet is something you can go on and off for any given amount of time to achieve a short term result. A lifestyle incorporates diet with…

Life’s most unlikely events will happen when you least expect them. Just when I thought that I had everything under control in my life, something triggered me to make a drastic and immediate change to my eating habits. This change has added years to my life and taken inches off of my waist. My about-face dietary transformation — in the eyes of my former self — can only be described as unorthodox and undesirable. But I now know that change was required and my current overall health is proof positive that the sacrifices were worth it. Following is a phase by phase look at how and why I decided to make a bodyweight and dietary transformation that changed my life for the better. Continue reading…